Brodeur finally returns to practice

NEWARK, N.J. — A pinched nerve in his neck and upper back sidelined Martin Brodeur for 12 games, and doctors told the the Devils' goaltender there was a chance it could have been a lot longer.

The Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. — A pinched nerve in his neck and upper back sidelined Martin Brodeur for 12 games, and doctors told the the Devils' goaltender there was a chance it could have been a lot longer.

Brodeur returned to practice for the first time in nearly a month Monday and felt pain-free after working out for an hour at the team's practice rink at the Prudential Center. The 40-year-old will not start against the Rangers on Tuesday night, but he did not rule out backing up Johan Hedberg, who has started every game in his absence.

"It's definitely the best I have felt on the ice so far," said Brodeur, who has been skating for a little more than a week. "We'll see how my body reacts and we'll go from there. I don't expect nothing to change. I'll skate in the morning but I don't think I'll be playing, that's for sure."

Brodeur last played in a 3-2 win over the Capitals on Feb. 21. He said his back was bothering him for about a week or two before that. He was scheduled to start at Winnipeg on Feb. 24 but shut himself down for almost three weeks because the injury was causing spasms and numbness in his shoulder and arm.

"I didn't feel good," Brodeur said. "I didn't feel right."

Brodeur took medications to reduce the inflammation and stayed off the ice. He has not had symptoms with his back and neck for about 7-to-10 days.

The Devils were happy to have Brodeur on the ice Monday. They went 3-7-2 with the 39-year-old Hedberg starting the last 12 games and have slipped from near the top of the Eastern Conference to being in a dogfight for one of the last playoff spots with six weeks left in the regular season.